Politics & Government

Daylight Saving Time: Should Florida Make it Year-Round?

A state senator thinks Florida should stay on the same schedule 12 months a year. What do you think, Gulfport?

Hearing that alarm ring the first Monday morning after Daylight Saving Time begins can be a real pain. After all, the body’s still set to the old schedule and insists it’s been robbed of sleep. Chances are the sun's not up yet either, which can be just a tad disorienting at first.

Florida Senator Darren Soto, D-Orlando, wants to change all that. He’s introduced the Sunshine Protection Act into the Legislature, according to WFLA. The bill would end Florida’s participation in Daylight Saving Time, effectively putting the kibosh on autumn time “falling back.”

Soto told WFLA the move would enable Floridians to enjoy an extra hour of sunshine year-round and it would give tourists more time in the sun.

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Daylight Saving Time has been a standardized practice in the United States since 1918, according to National Geographic. But, it’s not required that states follow along. They can opt out.

The idea behind the annual practice of “falling back” and “springing ahead” came about back in the days of Ben Franklin as a way to save energy, the Geographic reports. The real savings, however, have been brought into question as of late.

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So, what do you think, Gulfport? Should Florida stay on the same time schedule all the time? Take the poll or share your thoughts in the comments section.

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